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“Perhaps not.” He wouldn’t tell her his identity yet. “Your sister is a witch who blew up the LA Ruins, you have a magical bracelet that attacked me, your mind is protected from my power, and you work for Zylotech, a front company for a group aimed at killing vampires. You see how it’s hard for me to believe you, don’t you?”

She swallowed. The pungent scent of fear punched his nostrils, and Marek didn’t take pleasure in it.

“It’s all a coincidence. Besides, why do you care about the Ruins? Those don’t belong to you.”

“It’s complicated,” was all he said, not bothering to explain how vampires had orchestrated the entire thing.

“I don’t know what you want from me.” From her earnest expression, she was either telling the truth or was an Oscar-winning actress. “I told you; I don’t know anything.”

Marek sighed. “I will allow you to visit your sister, but I am coming with you.”

She blinked. Once. Twice. “Come again?”

“I am coming with you.”

“I don’t…” She looked utterly bewildered. He grinned. “That’s ridiculous. You can’t… I mean… I’m not going with you!”

“Don’t you wish to see your sister?”

“I do, but not with… not with my vampire kidnapper!”

“Hmm, about that, don’t think of me as your kidnapper. Think of me as your partner.”

“Partner?” she repeated it as though he had grown a second head.

“Yes, partner. I can help you.”

“I don’t need a partner,” she snapped. “I can take care of myself.”

After everything he’d learned about her, he had no doubt she could.

“Like I said, your sister’s case is vampire-related. You’ll need a vampire’s help. Or a witch’s, since it was also magic-related. How many witches do you know, Olivia?”

“None,” she bit out with gritted teeth.

“I know plenty. Witches don’t like strangers, so instead of you wasting time to find a witch, I can ask them for you.”

“Why do you want to help me? What happened to killing me?”

You’re my mate,he almost said. Would that knowledge be too much for her? Her workplace had been ransacked, she’d been kidnapped, and she’d learned her sister was a witch, all in one day. He doubted Olivia was the kind to turn hysterical. She would take the news and analyze it with her scientist brain, calm and efficient.

She might even find some way to use it against him.

No, he wouldn’t tell her yet.

Instead, he said, “I changed my mind. I like you, Olivia, and since we now have a common goal, I think it best if we work together. What do you say?”

Her ferocious scowl was equally as pretty as her smile. “If I say no? If I scream the minute we’re in public and run away?”

His grin turned sharp. Wolfish. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Like you said, I’m not some random vampire. I can make it so you never see your sister again.”

Fury darkened her honey eyes. “You wouldn’t.”

“Not if you behave. So, partners?”

“It’s not like I have a choice.”

His smile stretched wider. “Perfect. I look forward to working with you.”